Food & Wine

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 Forum: Rhubarb's flourishing, strawberries a bit late By Judyrae Kruse Herald Writer On the up side, despite a late, unusually cold spring, the rhubarb's not only up, it's growing like a weed. Now for the down side -- because of the unseasonably cool, not to mention drizzly and sometimes downright rainy weather, at least one local berry grower is warning that this season's crop of strawberries won't be ripe and ready to go until the very end of the month. Even so, now's the time to gather together berry-barb pie possibilities and have them on standby, at hand when the berries finally are. Let's start with this glazed version shared by Michele Hoverter of Everett. She notes the recipe is taken from a 1960 edition of "Farm Journal's Complete Pie Book,'' and tells us, "I bought the book specifically because of this glazed recipe.'' Another berry nice pie -- this one sweetened with brown and white sugar and sparked with cinnamon and nutmeg -- comes to us courtesy of longtime Forum helper-outer Jean Kroeze of Arlington. She mentions she found the recipe in a 1963 edition of "Favorite Recipes of Home Economics Teachers.'' Or, if you're in the mood for pie right now and are willing to go berryless, Jean has thoughtfully given us the how-to for a rhubarb-only pie, too. This one is an open-faced affair, making it a good candidate for one of the make-it-in-the-pan crusts we've been exploring lately. Glazed strawberry-rhubarb pie Pastry for 2-crust, 9-inch pie 11/4 cups sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup flour 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 2 cups fresh strawberries 2 cups (1-inch pieces) fresh rhubarb 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 tablespoon sugar Combine the 11/4 cups sugar, salt, flour and nutmeg; set aside. Arrange half of the strawberries and half of the rhubarb in a pastry-lined 9-inch pie pan. Sprinkle with half of the sugar mixture. Repeat with remaining fruit and sugar mixture; dot with butter or margarine. Adjust top crust and flute edges. Brush top of pie with cold water and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Cut steam vents. Bake at 425 degrees 40 to 50 minutes or until rhubarb is tender and crust is browned. Makes one 9-inch pie. Strawberry-rhubarb pie Pastry for 2-crust, 9-inch pie 2 cups cut rhubarb 2 cups sliced strawberries 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg Granulated sugar for topping Line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry, leaving 1/2-inch overhang. Turn rhubarb and strawberries into large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the sugars, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix well, add to fruit and combine gently but thoroughly. Turn into pie shell. Cut remaining pastry into strips and arrange on top of pie, lattice fashion, cutting off tag ends. Fold bottom crust overhang up and over ends of lattice strips, and make a fluted or rope edge. Sprinkle granulated sugar over the top. Bake at 425 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Rhubarb pie Pastry for 9-inch pie shell 3 cups diced rhubarb 1/2 cup sugar 3 tablespoons cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 3/4 cup white corn syrup 1 tablespoon butter, melted Put rhubarb in unbaked pie shell. Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and eggs; beat well. Add corn syrup and butter and mix again; pour over rhubarb. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 30 minutes. Makes one 9-inch pie. The next Forum will appear in Friday's Time Out section.

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